Cooling system for an electronic assembly mounted on a gas turbine engine

ABSTRACT

The illustrated embodiment shows a cooling system for electronic equipment mounted on a gas turbine engine. The system combines air, engine fuel, and a thermally conductive electrically dielectric fluid to provide cooling under extreme heat environments. Electronic equipment is placed in a thermally conductive fluid within an annular container which is horsecollared on a fuel line. The container is double walled and coolant air is directed through the space between the walls. Thus cooling results from coolant air and engine fuel, and is made more efficient by the fluid.

United States Patent Inventors Clifford R. Banthin Redding; Dennis F. Sharp, Shelton; Ernest M. Mihalyak, Wat Haven, all 01 Conn. Appl. No. 875,145 Filed Nov. 10, 1969 Patented Nov. 30, 1971 Assignee Avco Corporation Stratlord, Conn.

COOLING SYSTEM FOR AN ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON A GAS TURBINE ENGINE 5 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig.

US. Cl 165/51, 60/39.66,123/41.31, 165/106, 174/15, 174/16,

317/ Int. Cl F02b 11/02 Field of Search /47, 80,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,445,582 7/1948 Melville 317/100 X 12/1959 Stineman et a1. 7 62/55 ENVIRONMENTAL AIR 2,970,437 2/1961 Anderson 60/3966 3,011,313 12/1961 Horton 60/3966 3,141,999 7/1964 Schneider 317/100 3,243,672 3/1966 Simonds et a1 174/15 X 3,270,250 8/1966 Davis 317/100 3,356,903 12/1967 Arnold 317/100 3,421,825 l/1969 Maycock 123/4142 X FOREIGN PATENTS 489,052 12/1952 Canada 60/3966 OTHER REFERENCES Roth, G. L. et al., How To Use Fuel As A Heat Sink," Space/Aeronautics, March, 1960, pp. 56 to 60, TL50 1 A83 Primary Examiner-Albert W. Davis, Jr. Attorneys-Charles M. Hogan and Irwin P. Garfinkle X ABSTRACT: The illustrated embodiment shows a cooling between the walls. Thus cooling results from coolant air and engine fuel, and is made more efficient by the fluid.

PATENTEBNUV 30197! 3, 623,546

COOLANT AIR INVENTORS. CLIFFORD R. BANTHIN DENNIS F. SHARP ERNEST M. MIHALYAK COOLING SYSTEM FOR AN ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON A GAS TURBINE ENGINE This invention was made in the course of a contract with the United States Government, Department of Army.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Modern gas turbine engines now require sophisticated electronic circuits for providing the many, various controls. For example, modern fuel control systems utilize complex compu- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION THE DRAWING The single FIGLRE shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of this invention.

jacket I6 to provide a double-wall construction serving to insulate the interior of the casing 10 from the high-temperature environmental air and to provide a passageway 17 for coolant to the passageway 17 through an air, after removing heat generated from within the casing I0, exits at a port 20.

The electronic components 22 which are to be cooled are mounted on an annular mounting disk 24 fitted onto the an efficient heat transferring medium.

reduced pressure in the engine inlet housing.

The advantages obtained by immersing the uninsulated vironment. Fourth, economic benefits are obtained by eliminating the individually hermetically sealed enclosures used to protect the semiconductor chips. Fifth, assembly, test thermally conductive fluid requires no circulating pumps or large mechanical heat sinks.

In summary, which cooperate to produce highest efficiency: l the double tric, thermally the electronic equipment by the fluid is transferred into the casing and the mating sleeve; (4) coolant air serves to remove the heat from the casing; (5) the fuel flowing through the fuel line on which the system is mounted serves to cool the mating sleeve; and (6) the mating sleeve is cooled from environmental air by means of the coolant air which is provided with a passageway over the mating sleeve.

We claim:

I. In a cooling system for an electronic circuit mounted in the environment of an-engine supplied with a relatively cool fluid fuel through a fuel line, the combination comprising:

a fuel line;

a supply of relatively cool fuel flowing through said fuel line;

an insulating base;

an electronic circuit mounted on said base;

a sealed, thermally conductive casing, said base and said circuit being positioned within said casing;

a source of coolant air;

a jacket spaced from said casing to provide a double wall, the space between said casing and said jacket providing an axial passage for said coolant air;

an electrically dielectric, thermally conductive fluid filling said casing and immersing said circuit; and

said fuel line extending through said base and said electronic circuit.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the cross section of said casing is an annulus having an inner diameter wall and an outer diameter wall, and wherein said fuel line is positioned on the axis of said casing in contact with said inner diameter wall.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said base is supported on the inner circumference of said annular casing.

I? I l 4' i 

1. In a cooling system for an electronic circuit mounted in the environment of an engine supplied with a relatively cool fluid fuel through a fuel line, the combination comprising: a fuel line; a supply of relatively cool fuel flowing through said fuel line; an insulating base; an electronic circuit mounted on said base; a sealed, thermally conductive casing, said base and said circuit being positioned within said casing; a source of coolant air; a jacket spaced from said casing to provide a double wall, the space between said casing and said jacket providing an axial passage for said coolant air; an electrically dielectric, thermally conductive fluid filling said casing and immersing said circuit; and said fuel line extending through said base and said electronic circuit.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said casing is provided with a centrally positioned sleeve longitudinally extending the length of said casing, said fuel line extending through said sleeve and supporting said casing, said sleeve extending through and supporting said insulating base.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said sleeve is extended axially beyond said container and radially outwardly to form in combination with the outer jacket a radial coolant passageway.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the cross section of said casing is an annulus having an inner diameter wall and an outer diameter wall, and wherein said fuel line is positioned on the axis of said casing in contact with said inner diameter wall.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said base is supported on the inner circumference of said annular casing. 